Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25

At 7:00 ET, the Bulls (-208) will be in Washington to take on the Wizards (+175). The Bulls are favored by 5.5 points and the over/under line is 236.5.

Chicago is 15-18 on the year and 9th in the Eastern Conference. They are 4th in the Central Division and have won two straight games. Washington is 5-25 and 15th in the East. They are 5th in the Southeast Division and have lost two in a row.

CHICAGO BULLS VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Wizards +5.5

This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 145-127 in favor of the Wizards.
• Our projections have Kyle Kuzma finishing with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
• From the field, we have the Wizards finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.3% and knocking down 16 threes.

Can Chicago Grab a Win on the Road?

The Bulls improved to 15-18 on the season with a 115-108 road win over the Hornets on Monday. Chicago, favored by four points, covered the spread, while the combined total of 223 points narrowly missed the over/under line of 224.5.

Charlotte went on a 13-0 run early, but Chicago responded by outscoring them 37-22 in the 2nd quarter. The Bulls entered the 4th quarter with a 73-71 lead and held on for the win, edging out the Hornets 25-27 in the final period.

In the Bulls’ 115-108 win over the Hornets, Coby White led the way with 23 points, 9 assists, and 10 rebounds, despite shooting just 33.3% from the field. The Bulls shot 37.5% as a team, but connected on 18 threes, hitting at a 30% rate from beyond the arc.

Torrey Craig added 18 points, knocking down 5 threes at a 71.4% clip, while Patrick Williams also hit 5 threes, finishing with 17 points. White scored 8 points in the 4th quarter and added 4 more in overtime, while Craig contributed 5 points in the extra period.

The Bulls put together a strong defensive performance on Monday, holding the Hornets to 108 points while allowing just 24 points in the 1st quarter and 22 in the 2nd. Chicago limited Charlotte to 41% shooting from the field.

Chicago’s defense was particularly effective against the three, as they held the Hornets to just 10 made threes on 23% shooting. The Bulls also recorded 11 steals and 4 blocks in the game.

Is a Home Win Possible for Washington?

The Wizards fell to 5-25 on the season after a 126-106 home loss to the Knicks on Monday. Washington entered the game as +13 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 232 points went over the pre-game line of 228.5.

Washington led 30-27 after the 1st quarter but were outscored 32-27 in the 2nd and 38-31 in the 3rd. Heading into the 4th quarter down 97-88, the Wizards managed just 18 points while allowing 29 to the Knicks.

In their 126-106 loss to the Knicks, the Wizards shot just 42.4% from the field and 27.9% from three-point range, hitting 12 threes overall. Jonas Valanciunas led the way with 22 points, shooting 76.9% from the floor.

Alexandre Sarr and Malcolm Brogdon each added 18 points, with Sarr hitting 3 threes at a 50% clip. Corey Kispert contributed 16 points, scoring 8 of them in the 3rd quarter.

The Wizards struggled defensively, giving up 126 points to the Knicks. Their toughest stretch came in the 3rd quarter, where they allowed 38 points. Washington sent New York to the line 25 times, with the Knicks converting 21 free throws.

From beyond the arc, the Wizards allowed 15 threes on 34% shooting. They also gave up 15 offensive rebounds. Defensively, they recorded 6 steals and 8 blocks.